Source: Radio New Zealand
Jackson Ford and Tyson Frizell will face off, when the Warriors take on the Knights. Photosport/RNZ
NRL: Newcastle Knights v NZ Warriors
Kickoff 5pm, Saturday, 21 March
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Live blog updates on RNZ website
Analysis: For just the fourth time in club history, NZ Warriors have a chance to start an NRL season with three straight wins – but so do Newcastle Knights.
The Auckland-based outfit have succeeded in that aim just once, when coach Stephen Kearney guided his team to five consecutive wins in 2018.
Both teams are unbeaten, but both are also hit hard by injuries.
Here’s what you need to know:
History
Newcastle Knights remain one of the Warriors’ most beatable opponents – in 53 previous outings, the Warriors have 27 wins and the Knights 25, with one draw.
They also have 27 wins against North Queensland Cowboys across just 49 games.
The 18-18 draw against Newcastle came in 2000, before the introduction of Golden Point.
The rivals are 5-5 over their last 10 meetings, but the Warriors are 4-1 in the last five, including both games last season.
Their last encounter was the memorable 20-15 finish at McDonald Jones Stadium, where the Warriors trailled 15-14 into the final seconds. Tanah Boyd’s field goal attempt was charged down, but the ball fell to teenager second-rower Leka Halasima, who rolled 40 metres for the winning try.
The Warriors lost their next three games and limped into the playoffs, winning just one of their last eight. Two weeks after the Halasima miracle, they lost in identical circumstance against the Dolphins.
Meanwhile, the Knights would lose their next six games by an average of 33 points.
Newcastle’s biggest win of this rivalry came in the very first encounter, when they inflicted a 48-6 hiding in 1995 round nine. Centre Nathan Barnes had three tries and Andrew Johns kicked 8/9 from the tee.
Leka Halasima rumbles to a gamewinning try against Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium. David Neilson/Photosport
Four years later, the Warriors had a measure of revenge, matching the winning margin and hold their opponent scoreless in a 42-0 win at Ericsson Stadium (Mt Smart). Lock Jason Death scored two tries and Matthew Ridge kicked 7/8, while also finding the tryline.
Form
Unbelievably, both these teams are unbeaten after two rounds of the 2026 NRL.
Maybe you can believe the Warriors going unblemished, even though they have faced title contenders Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders early.
Somewhat against expectations, they have put 40 points on each of these heavyweights and restricted them to a combined 12 second-half points.
Their 82 points are the most the club has scored in the opening two rounds of any season and their +58 points differential is bigger than at any time last season.
They rank among the competition leaders in set completion (84 percent), possession percentage (56) and post-contact metres (1280).
Newcastle were last season’s wooden-spooners with six wins and 18 losses, after winning their opening two games and three of their first four.
Their two victories this season have come against North Queensland Cowboys and Manly Sea Eagles, who are both winless over the first two weeks.
According to official NRL stats, they somehow lead the competition in try assists (12), despite scoring only 11 tries.
Warriors half Tanah Boyd lead the competition in scoring, with a try in each of the first two games. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Teams
Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 11. Leka Halasima, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Luke Hanson, 7. Tanah Boyd. 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 12. Jacob Laban, 17. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Morgan Gannon, 23. Mitch Barnett, 20. Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Reserve: 22. Jett Cleary
Late change in the Warriors line-up, with centre Adam Pompey remaining in Auckland on babywatch. Halasima will step into the midfield, with second-rower Marata Niukore promoted into the starting line-up.
Co-captain Mitch Barnett nears a return to play, after suffering a season-ending knee injury last June. He was named among the reserves and has made the extended interchange bench.
With Chanel Harris-Tavita and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad under concussion protocols, Luke Hanson is named at five-eighth for his NRL debut, while Taine Tuaupiki takes the fullback spot.
Knights: 1. Fletcher Hunt, 2. Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 18. Tyson Gamble, 7. Sandon Smith, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Trey Mooney, 11. Dylan Lucas, 12. Jermaine McEwen, 13. Tyson Frizell
Interchange: 14. Thomas Cant, 15. Mat Croker, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Francis Manuleleua, 19. Harrison Graham, 21. Cody Hopwood
Reserves: 22. James Schiller
Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook has lost his two marquee players – Kalyn Ponga (hamstring) and Dylan Brown (knee) – in injury. Fletcher Hunt will start at fullback, but five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe has also succumbed to injury and will make way for Tysson Gamble.
Newcastle will be without Kalyn Ponga for a month with a hamstring injury. Chris Hyde
The Knights still have plenty of firepower among the backs with international wings Greg Marzhew (Samoa) and Dom Young (England), and Origin centre Dane Gagai and Bradman Best.
Player to watch
With playmakers Ponga and Brown sidelined, the keys to the Knights are held by Sandon Smith, who played 47 games for Sydney Roosters, but was shuffled out the side door last season, as Daly Cherry-Evans arrived in a limo and walked the red carpet out front.
He took over the goalkicking, after Ponga limped off last week, and victory was well in hand (30-10), when Brown didn’t return for the second half, so the pressure will be on him this week.
Kiwi player to watch
Hooker Phoenix Crossland has played every minute of the opening two games and led the Knights in tackles (48) in their Vegas win over North Queensland.
With no specialist dummy half on the Knights interchange, he can probably expect a heavy workload again against the Warriors, but strangely, he has made exactly no dummy-half runs this season.
They said it
“You can definitely see they’re confident, they’re happy with the way they’re playing and they’re definitely playing with a lot of spirit.”
Warriors coach Andrew Webster assesses the Knights’ turnaround
“Plenty, but only the obvious ones and that’s wise, so everyone’s clear on what they have to do, when they get called upon, and we don’t miss a beat.”
Knights coach Justin Holbrook tested a few halves combinations in the pre-season.
What will happen
Big difference in the quality of opposition for these two teams so far. McDonald Jones is a formidable home venue for the Knights – but it won’t be enough.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
